That Night & the Next Morning
by Barmy-old-Codger
Summary: This story starts out after chapter 36 of Goblet of Fire. Harry is in bed in the Hospital Wing after returning from the graveyard and is about to get his second dose of Dreamless Sleep potion. Chapter 2 carries on from when H/Hr leave Poppy's care.
1. Chapter 1

**That Night & the Next Morning**

By the Barmy_old_Codger

One Shot (for now)

I apologize that I can't seem to focus on Black, White and Red or my 'other story'. This idea has been bugging me for a while and I hope if I post it, it will leave me alone.

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Introduction:

Books 1 to 4 compliant … up to the end of chapter 36 of GoF.

This story starts out after chapter 36 of Goblet of Fire. Harry is in bed in the Hospital Wing after returning from the graveyard and is about to get his second dose of Dreamless Sleep potion, Ron, Hermione, Padfoot and Molly Weasley were near his bed. As a memory refresher, the last few paragraphs of 36 follow, note Hermione's apparent actions:

Quote From GOF page 620, hardcover Canadian edition printed by Raincoast Books:

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'It wasn't your fault Harry,' Mrs Weasley whispered.

'I told him to take the Cup with me,' said Harry.

Now the burning feeling was in his throat, too. He wished Ron would look away.

Mrs Weasley set the potion down on the bedside cabinet, bent down, and put her arms around Harry. He had no memory of ever being hugged like this, as though by a mother. The full weight of everything he had seen that night seemed to fall in upon him as Mrs Weasley held him to her. His mother's face, his father's voice, the sight of Cedric, dead on the ground, all started spinning in his head until he could hardly bear it, until he was screwing up his face against the howl of misery fighting to get out of him.

There was a loud slamming noise, and Mrs Weasley and Harry broke apart. Hermione was standing by the window. She was holding something tight in her hand.

'Sorry,' she whispered.

'Your potion, Harry,' said Mrs Weasley quickly, wiping her eye on the back of her hand.

Harry drank it in one. The effect was instantaneous. Heavy, irresistible waves of dreamless sleep broke over him, he fell back onto his pillows, and thought no more.

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End of Chapter 36 titled 'The Parting of the Ways'. As Monty Python might say, 'Now for something completely different ...'

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**GoF** **Chapter 36½ – That Night & the Next Morning**

Hermione looked down at her right hand ... it was dripping blood on the floor. She wished she had been allowed to hug Harry and give him his potion … and a kiss … or two … or three ….

The glass vase she had picked up from a nearby table had shattered when she slammed her fist into the stone wall. She had done a right good job of skinning her knuckles as well; she could feel most of the hundreds of blood soaked glass shards in her still closed fist. Most of the glass was now on the floor, using her left hand, she flicked her wand towards the floor muttering _evanesco_ and the mess was no more. Hermione then picked up a bedpan that was beside the vase, and holding it under her dripping fist she marched resolutely towards Madam Pomfrey's small office. Looking at her hand again she thought, _at least this is an excuse to try to get the bed beside Harry_. She hoped she wouldn't be sent back to her dormitory, she desperately wanted to be here when Harry woke up. In the end Hermione had to pretend dizziness and nausea to get a bed. She didn't really think the Nurse believed her story, but at least she would be here when Harry woke up.

Poppy led Hermione by her un-bandaged hand, over to the bed beside Harry, pulled a set of pyjamas out of a nearby cabinet and dropped them on Hermione's bed. Then Poppy pulled the privacy screens closed as she went over to check on Harry. Madam Pomfrey flicked her wand towards the four corners of Harry's bed muttering something under her breath before she noticed a scowl on Ron's face. She then herded the remaining Weasleys and a few other strays out of her Hospital Wing and locked the doors. The grim black dog remained on the floor between the two occupied beds. If a dog could be said to have a smirk on his face, this one certainly did.

After the Nurse closed the curtains around her bed, Hermione got up on her bed and watched the goings on over the curtains. She saw Poppy set an alarm charm around Harry's bed that would alert her if something crossed the boundaries around the edge of the bed, essentially keeping her out, not that she had planned to climb in with him anyway; she did want to hug him, but not in front of Ron ... maybe in the morning. Shortly after all the lights had gone out, Hermione shifted her bed next to Harry's. She was determined to be there for him whether he knew it or not.

Sirius shuffled his shaggy black hide over to the girl's bed hoping to have a private word with her. Sirius thought back to his days in school, remembering several of his girlfriends and the antics they got up to. He wondered if any of them would have hurt themselves just to stay in the hospital with him ... probably none. He was definitely going to have a talk with Harry about 'girls' and Albus about the summer accommodations. Damn lucky pup, too bad he didn't have a clue about girls, and this one in particular. He knew very well how it could happen ... at eleven years old when they met, neither one had any interest in romance ... well, not an eleven year old boy anyway. Hermione was probably very lucky that Harry or Ron paid her any attention at all at that age, now they seemed to think of her as 'one of the guys' and that was it.

Hermione climbed back into her bed, then, after looking around, she shuffled over as close to Harry's bed as she dared and slipped her left hand under Harry's covers, feeling around for his hand. She was fairly certain that the alarm charm wouldn't trigger if only an arm crossed the boundary otherwise it would be a nuisance and be going off all night if Harry was restless, it turned out she was right. She found his hand, pulled it closer, and managed to lace their fingers together. It almost seemed too easy, as if Harry was consciously helping, she didn't think he could though, being in a dreamless sleep.

Hearing a soft bark, Hermione turned her head away from Harry in time to see Sirius Black transform from the shaggy black dog and extend to his full height beside her bed. It was a little unnerving, he was still quite mangy looking, in need of a shave, a haircut and some sort of decent clothes. She had seen him earlier in the evening as both man and beast, so the sight of him, or simply his presence, wasn't a particular shock. She was actually expecting he would have some kind of comment on her method of remaining at Harry's side. She was about to be proven right.

"Well enough executed Miss Granger although you could do with some lessons on pranking so you wouldn't actually need to hurt yourself." Said Sirius. He looked introspective for a moment before continuing, "You kids have better care here than you realize. That old Witch back there," and he pointed with his thumb towards the Nurses Office, "She has probably forgotten more about healing than most of the Healers at St. Mungo's know. She used to teach all their Healer trainees in everything except Dark curses. By the end of the last war, she had seen too much death and had to get away from it, Albus offered her a position here. I've been told that St Mungo's had to hire three Trainers to replace her." Hermione glanced over to the office where Madam Pomfrey had disappeared. "Yes, her … that Nurse that you all take for granted is one of the greatest Healers in Britain.

Hermione turned her head and looked towards Harry. Sirius spoke again, "Yes, him too … another person with amazing potential, along with yourself. He lacks confidence in himself that comes from the home in which he was brought up." Hermione looked back up at Sirius with a sad expression on her face, thinking about 'those damn Dursleys' when Sirius continued speaking, "Look kiddo, he's fourteen now and I know he's figured out what girls are … at his age I had, but I was still afraid of scaring off the one I really wanted. I think that's also his problem. I don't think he could scare you off, but I also don't think he could survive without you." Hermione's eyes lit up a little though it was barely discernable in the near darkness. "I think you two should spend the summer together, the old man is very set in his ways," she knew he meant Dumbledore, "But I will persuade him somehow, this old dog still has a few tricks up his sleeve … failing that I can put some dung bombs in his office."

Hermione actually giggled for a moment at the thought of sacrilege in the Headmasters office, then spoke, "I need to spend some time with my parents too, they've been getting short changed the last few summers."

"Hmm …" Sirius thought for a moment, "That can probably be arranged too, the Black's have a seaside home on one of the Channel Islands, do you think your parents would agree to that?"

"What about their work? They would need to go back and forth to Oxford five days a week for half of the summer?" Asked Hermione, then she stated. "They may already have something planned for summer holidays."

"In the morning, send an owl to your parents, I know it's short notice, but if they agree then we can save them a trip to Kings Cross and we'll join them at your home later in the evening to explain everything including how we'll get them to work and back." Said Sirius.

"This all sounds great Sirius, but do you really think Harry will want me for a girlfriend?"

"Look, I wasn't at your Christmas Ball, but I have it on good authority that you struck him dumb when he first saw you." Stated Sirius. "I'll have a talk to him tomorrow about living his life, I know you don't flaunt yourself Hermione, and you may find this embarrassing, but you should consider using your wonderful … ummm … assets … to your advantage." Hermione blushed almost as red as a Weasley though you couldn't see it in the dark. "Drive the poor boy's hormones crazy until he makes the connection. I'm going to do my best to keep the Weasleys out of your way this summer because I know Molly has her heart set on seeing Harry getting together with Ginny. It's obvious to me that it's not right, not a good match … Molly just won't listen to reason so now you know why she and I don't get along." Sirius pulled out her wand from under her pillow, aimed it at Harry's bed and whispered, '_finite incantatum'_ removing the alarm charm from Harry's bed.

Hermione raised her bandaged hand and Sirius held it loosely. "Thank you Sirius …", _Merlin I hope this works out,_ Hermione thought as a lone tear escaped from one eye.

"Thank you Hermione, for being there for Harry, you have done what I cannot." Sirius said as he shrank from sight and returned to being a shaggy black dog. Padfoot crossed under both beds to the other side of Harry's bed and while snickering, he lay down, placing himself between Harry and the door.

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Hermione's thoughts:

Thanks to Sirius reminder, Hermione thought back to the look on Harry's stunned face as he recognized her standing beside Krum. _Over the last six months she had been flip flopping on what that look meant, at first it seemed obvious, he liked what he saw and realized that she was definitely a girl, always the first step. Damn those school robes. Days, weeks, months later, she had gradually returned to her own self doubt. If only Harry had said something. Harry never followed it up by saying anything. Sirius thinks he's scared, if so it makes perfect sense … from his point of view … I guess. He knows he could have any girl in Hogwarts, I've told him that, and he doesn't even try, he doesn't want to try, he has me at his side most of the time. If he didn't want me there, he could have had Cho … or Ginny … or anyone else … and he didn't. I'm just as dense and scared as him,_ thought Hermione.

Hermione lay there thinking for quite a while before charging her courage up. She released his hand and rolled over to be partly on his bed. His right arm and hand were under her, but nowhere she would object to if he was awake. She knew he wouldn't wake up for another eight hours at least. She bracketed his face with her hands and gave him a kiss before resting her head on his chest. She intended to remain like this for only a few minutes while listening to his breathing and heart rate. Something she had never had the undisturbed opportunity to do before … it was … quite enjoyable … and relaxing …

The next thing she knew, something was wriggling beneath her. In the pre-dawn greys of light before the sun came up she opened one eye and immediately realized she was still partly on top of Harry. _DON'T PANIC!_, she thought as his left arm clumsily wrapped tightly around her torso. She realized that he was coming out of his potion induced sleep,

She waited a few moments, then looked up, her eyes locked onto his green orbs that were starring back in confusion. His mouth opened … closed … opened again, and closed when she placed her bandaged right hand over it to keep him quiet.

_She knew that his right arm was mostly trapped under her torso, and where her breasts were squashed into him, if he hadn't figured out she was a girl by now … there was no hope_, thought Hermione. With a smile on her lips she turned her face back down and rested her head on his chest again while he loosened his one armed death grip on her back. He didn't actually move his arm away, he just stopped squeezing. Hermione jumped with a start when Harry started wiggling the fingers of his buried right hand … it had been cupping her, comfortably, so very close to her … most private place. Her startled jump landed her back on her own bed with a very sheepish and embarrassed look on her face.

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Harry's thoughts:

Still groggy from the potion, Harry started to wake up, yesterday afternoon and evening still very fresh in his mind. Thinking Cedric's body was on top of him and he needed to hold on to it, he wasn't sure why he couldn't move his right arm, but it felt warm and comfy if not a little numb. Harry wrapped his left arm tightly around the body that lay over him. Not until his eyes opened, could he look down to find a familiar mop of fuzzy brown hair. _It looked wrong, too much hair, not the right colour, this is __**Not Cedric**__!_ His panic stopped when she looked up and he recognized her familiar chocolate brown eyes. _Hermione?_ He was definitely confused.

Harry had no exact idea where his right hand and fingers were, his whole arm was tingling. He tried to wiggle his fingers, they seemed to push against something soft and squishy. He wondered why as Hermione let out a startled 'Eeep' and jumped back away from him. Harry looked down to his right hand, then over to Hermione, now on the next bed, then he looked down to his hand again before realizing where it had most likely been.

The blood flow resumed and feeling slowly returned to his right arm and hand. Curiosity caused Harry's right hand to move towards his face under the covers. Using the guise of rubbing his nose, in case Hermione was watching, he breathed in long and hard to enjoy her aroma. _This was an even stronger and headier sensation than her late evening smell_, he thought_. He didn't get hugs from her every day, not that he would mind. When he did get 'hermyhugs', as he called them, her morning hugs smelled soapy clean with a hint of vanilla and roses, a nice smell, but not really Hermione. The mid day hugs, which were rare, still had traces of the vanilla and rose mixed with the more female, Hermione smell. The bedtime hugs over the last year or so had been his favourite, the real Hermione smell came through, or so he thought. Harry now lived for those hugs. The memories of those smells fuelled his more recent wet dreams, when old Mouldyshorts would leave his mind alone. This new smell was even headier, erotic, even more Hermione, he moved his fingers down to his mouth to lick them in hopes of tasting her. The taste was exotic, but less than satisfying, having rubbed most of it off on the sheets and his nose._

The-Boy-Who-Was-Confused lay there, half way between PANIC! and wonder, trying to figure out what happened to his carefully pigeon-holed life. His mind had completely forgotten about Cedric, Voldemort and the Mad-eye Moody who wasn't. The more he thought about Hermione, the more he decided he liked this and had to figure out how to keep it happening. Scenes of broom closets and otherwise empty classrooms passed before his eyes.

It took a few minutes, his mind still clearing from the effects of the potion, until he remembered her hand was covered in bandages. Harry looked over and down, spotting the bundle of white, he moved his arm and started to reach for it. They both heard two soft barks and Hermione quickly pulled back and looked away, she lay back down on her own bed. Harry groaned at the loss, looking down, he saw where Hermione's gaze had been, the bulge in the sheets half way down to his toes. It was Harry's turn to blush, though his wasn't as showy as Ron's red face, Hermione noticed and giggled, almost inaudibly, causing Harry to become even pinker.

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Reality returns:

Madam Pomfrey, in her night robe, came bustling up to the pair of beds shaking a finger at both blushing faces. Intending to keep Harry for observation for most of the day, she unwrapped Hermione's hand. Proclaiming it healed, she sent Hermione to the washroom with her clothes and told her she could go down to breakfast when she was ready.

When Hermione returned from the loo, she sat down beside Harry's bed and refused to be kicked out by Madam Pomfrey. Harry left next, taking a fresh set of pyjamas with him. When he returned, he was ushered back to bed and under the covers. Knowing Hermione wouldn't leave him for anything, Poppy summoned a House Elf to bring them breakfast then went down to the Great Hall herself.

Over the next several hours, through lunch and into early afternoon, when they weren't interrupted by Weasleys and others, she tried to help Harry come to terms with Cedric's death, Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort, Fudge, the fake Moody (aka Barty Crouch) and the year as a whole. It was a tall order and Hermione knew they needed much more time. Harry never mentioned anything about waking up this morning, and Hermione was too embarrassed to speak.

Ron had brought Harry a change of clothes after lunch and when Harry was finally allowed to change and leave, Hermione told him about her conversation with Sirius the night before. Both Hermione and the Grim Mongrel walking beside them was pleased to see the smile on Harry's face when he realized he could almost have Hermione all to himself for the summer.

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A/N: Now what to do with JKR's chapter 37 … it still fits … mostly … including the kiss Hermione leaves him with at Kings Cross. If I do a sequel to this, then Sirius's plans will come into play.

Thanks for reading

Barmy


	2. Chapter 2 The following Day

**That Night & the Next Morning – Part 2**

By the Barmy_old_Codger

One Shot … Okay it's now a 2-Shot

Disclaimer: I own nothing, the bank owns it all. If you want any money out of me you'll have to pay off the bank first. JKR owns all the characters, I'm just playing with them.

A/N:

I'm adding this as a 2nd chapter to the above named One-Shot because many of you subscribed to 'Story Alerts' and the only way you would get a notification is if there was a new chapter. May I suggest an 'Author Alert' since the next chapter of this (if any) will be a new Story with a different title. How about 'Alice in Wonderland' … oh, that one's taken you say … and only Longbottoms mother is named Alice … too bad … I know, 'The Wizard of Ozz'? That one's taken too is it? How come all the good titles are taken?

Besides the fact that this story was still on my mind, I got more reviews for the first chapter than any other single chapter I've ever posted, this convinced me to continue. There is no particular plot other than the adventures or misadventures of H & Hr. There is no planned out story line. I have no idea what is coming next other than a rewrite of chapter 37 and following that into the summer.

AN #2: To address some flaws in the story:

Apparently I didn't do my research well enough, blame the Ron in me. Here are the issues:

On page 618, Dumbledore sent Sirius off to notify 'the old crowd' so he wouldn't have been hanging around the Hospital wing that night. On the other hand, maybe he saw reason … I don't think you would get much cooperation out of people you woke up at 1, 2 or 3 in the morning assuming he had gone immediately as JKR wrote.

On page 631, chapter 37, Hermione tells of her capture of Rita, _the beetle_, Skeeter on the window sill in the Hospital Wing which could have accounted for the noise she made that interrupted the hug between Molly and Harry … or not. JKR didn't nail it down, though it could be assumed.

If that makes this 'AU', then so be it.

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**GoF Chapter 36¾ – The Following Day**

Harry, Hermione and Padfoot made it to the Great Hall a bit early for supper; they found their usual places and sat side by side except for Padfoot who curled up under the table,.

Harry thought back over the last few months and noted that _Ron would normally take the seat beside Hermione leaving Harry to sit opposite one of them_. He was beginning to think that _this was Hermione's plan so she wouldn't have to watch Ron eat. Ron's eating habits, even with Hermione's jibes, had not improved over the nearly four years they had known each other, you could dress him up, but you couldn't take him out._

Ron had told Harry some time ago that he liked Hermione and Harry had taken a step backwards to allow Ron his chance. _The pair of them still fought like cats and dogs and he couldn't see Hermione wanting or deserving that for the rest of her life … or more to the point Ron's life since she would probably get frustrated and kill him sooner than later._

Hermione had yet to send an owl off to her parents, she was still working out how to word it. _She didn't think her Mother would mind them all staying with Harry for the summer and she wouldn't expect her Father to object if the friend was another girl. Sirius would also be there, at least most of the time, but his presence would take some explaining since his face had been plastered all over the Muggle news last year as an extremely dangerous criminal._

Hermione felt something in her right hand and realized a moment later that it was Harry's left. She surreptitiously glanced over at him only to realize he was resolutely looking straight ahead … at nothing … well, mostly empty tables and a stone wall. Their hands fit together and closed on each other as naturally as could be, but Harry still didn't look at her.

They eventually made their way through supper saying very little while observing the reactions of Ron and Ginny who sat opposite them. Neither of the youngest Weasleys had said anything about it, but Hermione knew that Ginny had noticed their hand holding, though it was nothing new, and she was staring daggers at her while Ron gave Harry death glares. Harry could feel Hermione cringe every time Ron shovelled food into his mouth, and of course Ron never waited until his mouth was empty before trying to speak. Mercifully Ron said very little. Thank Merlin Ginny was not that way; neither were Fred or George … or pompous Percy for that matter. Ginny had obviously set her sights on Harry as her long term goal and Harry tried to avoid her like the plague.

After supper, by mutual agreement, Hermione went off to write her letter while Padfoot took Harry outside to talk. Unfortunately the two young red heads tagged along with Harry and Padfoot. Harry thought he knew how to scare them away. Once they exited the main Castle doors Harry turned to the red heads and said, "I have to explain to Padfoot about the birds and the bees." Ginny snickered once she caught on, and blushed while Ron looked up at Harry with a dazed and confused expression. Before Ron could open his mouth and prove how gormless he was, Harry rephrased his statement, "The Talk," he said. Ron's eyes bugged out and he quickly made an excuse to leave; Ginny remained, blushing and smirking.

Padfoot and Harry turned to stare at her until Ginny said, "Well … I've never heard the other side of the story before." They kept staring at her until she knew all hope was lost, she turned to re-enter the Castle. Harry and his Dogfather continued walking until they reached a secluded spot by the Black Lake where Sirius began to talk to Harry.

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When Ron arrived at the common room he found Hermione at a small table bent over a piece of parchment. He watched for a minute, she would write furiously, then stop and chew on her bottom lip while thinking. She repeated the process a few times before Ron's scowling face sat opposite her, breaking her concentration.

Hermione had made up her mind before they left the Hospital Wing, she had her sights set on The-Hyphenated-Boy and she was going to succeed! Hermione noted out of the corner of her eye that Ginny had arrived, a scowl was dramatically obvious on her face too.

Hermione dried the ink and turned her letter over when she realized Ginny was aimed in her direction too. _Time for the showdown._ Ginny arrived, pulling a chair behind her when Ron started to speak, "What are Sir …" Hermione had been prepared, her wand was up her sleeve, its business end between two fingers of her left hand, she had silenced Ron before he could finish the 'S' name.

"Okay you two, I am making my claim on Harry!" Ginny gasped and Hermione silenced her as well. "Ron … I know you want me to be your girlfriend … or something like that, but really … all we ever do is argue and Harry has to play referee to keep us from killing each other. It makes no sense for us to date! Period! Ginny … you can do whatever you like with 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' ". The young girl's face started to show surprise and happiness until Hermione continued. "I am going to keep Harry!"

Ginny's scowl returned, she couldn't see the difference. 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' and Harry were the same person, she didn't understand. She couldn't ask because she had been silenced.

Ginny, you saw all the girls that followed Vicktor around all year because he is a famous Quidditch star?" Ginny slowly nodded. "Harry hates being famous, he hates being known as 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' and he despises anyone who thinks of him that way. The best you could hope for is to be thought of as family, one of the Weasleys, or Ron's little sister … unless you change dramatically."

"I've got a note to finish … I'm going up to my room, bye." Said Hermione as she got up. Hermione flicked her wand just before she disappeared out of sight up the girl's stairs.

The next sound that was heard throughout Gryffindor Tower was, "BLOODY HELL!" followed by the slap of Ginny's hand covering Ron's mouth.

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"Pup," Sirius started, Harry grinned, "You need to take a stand with Hermione … or she'll start looking somewhere else for a boyfriend." They sat on the grass hidden by some trees near the waters edge. "The way you look at her … you're always holding hands and standing very close to each other … hugging …"

"But … Ron wants her for his girlfriend …" responded Harry.

"Harry, pull that brain of yours out of your arse and start using it. If she was the least bit interested in Ron, would she be holding your hand? Standing close to you? Damn Pup, she practically climbed into your bed last night. If she wanted Ron, would she not have left with Ron?"

"Her hand was all cut up last night."

"That old Mediwitch can fix cuts faster than she can mend bones and you know she can do that almost instantly." Said Sirius. "Hermione had to do some creative thinking and talking to convince Poppy to let her stay overnight … would she have done that for Ron … or anyone else?" Sirius sighed, then continued, "Lie back on the grass and think about it Pup, just think for a few minutes."

Harry lay back, laced his fingers together and placed his hands behind his head then started taking slow deep breaths. His mind started going over everything that happened in the last year. _On Halloween when his name was picked for the Tournament, she believed him and stood by him all year, Ron was a jealous pratt_. Harry went through every little incident, day by day, week by week, month by month … the whole year. He began to realize, _Hermione didn't have to believe him, or stand beside him and help him get through each task, but she did. No one else helped him … well Ron helped a little later on. Dobby gave him the gillyweed, but only after he and Hermione searched for weeks through thousands of books in the Library. Who would have guessed to look for a book about magical Mediterranean water plants? Obviously not us. If they hadn't been summoned by McGonagall, Hermione would have kept looking until morning, Ron on the other hand had given up. Dobby saved the day, of course he was meant to hear about gillyweed in a conversation between McGonagall and the fake Moody. Finally the last task, Hermione helped him learn dozens of spells, hundreds more over the years, many he would never have found himself, and some of those helped him through that awful Maze and get away from Voldemort._

_Harry started to think back through previous years. He remembered what she said to him in first year, before he went through the last door to find Quirrel and Mouldyshorts in front of the mirror. He remembered what she said about bravery and courage and it just dawned on him that she never finished that sentence, he considered the possibilities that she might have finished that thought with for a minute._

_Second year after she was revived from being petrified, she hugged him and shook hands with Ron … interesting, and even more revealing._

Sirius interrupted the boy's musings, "You do love her don't you?"

"If love is being smothered by Mrs Weasley or having your guts squeezed out by Hagrid, I'm not sure I want to go there …" Harry thought for a moment about Hermione's hugs, then said, "on the other hand, Hermione gives nice hugs … I could live … for those hugs."

Sirius laughed while rolling around on the grass. When he regained his senses, Sirius spoke, "Harry, I think you have the beginnings of understanding love there, and I believe Hermione understands about your life with the Dursleys. Those idiots who raised you were no where near being a normal family so don't pattern yourself after them. The Weasleys are a bit on the other side of normal, they are closer to normal, but a large family like theirs has its own quirks. Hermione, even though she was brought up in a loving home, she, like you, didn't really have any good friends until you two met each other. I think you two were each others first real friends."

Sirius, I've probably already buggered it up royally, I keep taking Ron's side of their arguments … even though I know Hermione is usually right." Sighed Harry.

"No you haven't lost her yet Pup, though I would be very careful about that in the future. Girls want to have the support of their boyfriends even though they like to consider themselves to be quite independent."

"When you go back inside, find some time to be alone with her and ask her to be your girlfriend or tell her you want to date her, whichever step you're comfortable with. Don't do it with others listening or watching, she might feel embarrassed."

"Getting her alone should be easy enough, but what if she doesn't say yes?" Harry got up and started to pace nervously back and forth.

Sirius snickered and said, "I think you would have to try very hard to mess this up, however … a couple of suggestions … one … don't mention any other girls, especially Ginny or Cho when you ask her … and two … it's probably best to not mention my name or Ron's either. Once you've managed to get a yes out of her, it's still not a good idea to mention other girls in case she thinks you would rather be with them."

"The next thing you have to remember is two special phrases, 'I'm sorry' and 'Yes Dear', they will help you out of a lot of trouble so remember them."

"But?" said Harry.

"Pup, it doesn't matter … even if she wakes up with a headache and you were no where nearby … accept the blame and apologize … it's easier and it solves a lot of problems." Said Sirius and the look of confusion on Harry's face started Sirius laughing all over again. "Take my word for it Pup … just take my word."

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Hermione sealed up her letter and addressed it to her Mother; she then came down to the Common Room. Not seeing Harry anywhere she assumed he was still outside with Sirius and rushed off to the Owlery. The question of whether to ask Hedwig or just use a school owl plagued her all the way there. Once she arrived in the Owlery, Hedwig was awake and spotted her immediately. The Snowy White Owl hopped down to a lower perch in front of Hermione making up her mind for her. "Harry is so lucky to have you," said Hermione to Hedwig. The owl bobbed her head in agreement, "I often wonder just how much you really understand." She said as she tied the note to Hedwig's outstretched leg. "Will you take this to my Mum … Emma Jane Granger … in Oxford?"

Hedwig bobbed her head again, looked at Hermione for a moment, then flew away into the evening. Hermione watched until she was out of sight, then headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

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"I have plans for both of you this summer. Hermione's trying to get permission from her parents right now and I'll have to convince Dumbledore to let you leave Privet Drive early. I think I know what kind of blood wards he used at that house and if you're willing to donate a pint of your blood to spread around the ward stones and boundary line, I think it will work and you won't have to return there this year."

Harry gaped at Sirius, wide eyed and asked, "Why didn't he say something before? I will gladly donate all my blood to not have to return there ever again!"

"He must have had his reasons Pup … good or bad, I don't know. One more piece of advice," Sirius paused for a moment, then continued, "I'm not going to get into 'The Talk' right now, I will embarrass you with that later this summer. Assuming she agrees … and I think she will … keep your hands to her waist line and above … unless you get too aggressive she should be fine with that for now. You're both going to enter what is for you … and her … uncharted territory. There is a lot of room to explore above her waistline. If you touch her somewhere and she says 'no', then back off. You are both a few years too young to have sex even though you may have heard of some couples that have done it. There is an emotional commitment involved that I don't think either of you are quite ready for yet. There are a lot of ways to play and explore without having sex … when you get to that point in your relationship."

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Hermione arrived back at their Common Room and still no Harry. She was nervous, she had made a claim that was bound to be spreading through Hogwarts like a brush fire by now without even knowing if Harry would agree. What would he say when he found out what she had already told the two redheads. She sat in the overstuffed arm chair and started twiddling her thumbs, soon she was nibbling her lower lip and by the time Harry eventually showed up she was gnawing heavily on said lip. Hermione jumped up, captured his hand immediately turning him around and dragging him outside to the seventh floor corridor.

Harry was confused by her actions, but willingly followed along as this seemed to be getting Hermione all to himself as per Sirius' instructions. She dragged him down one empty corridor to the junction of another and looked in every direction, no one but them were in sight. She stopped and faced Harry.

"And it's good to see you again too." Said Harry with a Slytherin like grin on his face.

"Oh Harry, I'm sorry, I think I've made a big mistake and embarrassed both of us." She squeaked out, holding both his hands while looking at the floor. Ginny and Ron were both mad at me for getting a bed in the Hospital Wing and staying with you all night … and I couldn't stop myself." Her voice faded to a whisper at the end.

Harry tried to think just what this normally logical girl … no scratch that … young woman might have said that was going to be so disastrous. He remembered Rita's story about Hermione playing off his and Vicktor's emotions. He decided to go for broke and be humorous, "Well, I would have preferred to be there when you told them we were engaged." Harry said in a totally deadpanned tone of voice.

Hermione looked up at his smiling face in shock. Not knowing how to respond, to what seemed like a straight line, she just gawked at him in disbelief.

Harry looked around, there was still no one in sight, he didn't care at the moment what Hermione had thought she had done, this was his perfect opportunity. Blushing slightly at what he was about to say, he started, "Hermione Jane Granger," he managed to get that part out only to realize that his mouth was still flapping and words were spewing forth, he heard himself say, "Will you be my Girlfriend?" Harry's mind went into a tail spin when it dawned on him what he had just asked Hermione for. _He knew she could probably hex him into a Unich if she had half a mind to do so._

Hermione's eyes bugged out, her jaw opened and her fine analytical brain shutdown. It began to reboot. Harry kept watching her, hearing no response for the longest time, he began to panic. Harry was poised to sprint down the corridor in any direction when he heard a faint, "yes," escape her lips.

Panic and flight poured off Harry like a waterfall, _she said yes … he knew not what to do._ He released his hands from hers and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her towards him gently.

Hermione's brain started to come online again and she looked up at his dazed and confused expression. She laughed, all her worries and concerns were vaporized in that second.

Not quite believing his good fortune, Harry asked, "Now what do we do?"

"Well … since it's now after curfew, we should get back to our Common Room," Hermione answered, "Then I want to sit on my Boyfriends lap and snog him silly.

"Oh …" said Harry, then his memory caught up with him and he asked, "Umm … what were you so concerned about when you dragged me out here?"

"Ahhh …" answered Hermione, "It's not so much of a major concern now. I told Ron that he and I were never going to be anything but friends and I told Ginny that you saw her only as Ron's little sister."

"That would be true enough, I guess, but that doesn't sound like the earth shattering disclosure I was expecting."

"No it's not … the next thing I said was that you were mine … that I was claiming you." Hermione stated looking sheepishly up into his eyes.

"Well … that's true enough now … hey, I want to try out this idea of you sitting in my lap and snogging me senseless. Let's get back to The Common Room.

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Thanks for reading

Barmy

The corridor could have been paved in yellow bricks for all Alice (I mean Hermione) knew. She was holding on tight to Harry's arm and skipping back to their Common Room where there would be an orange bunny (I mean half Kneazle) waiting for them.


End file.
